Feb 29, 2012

My last couple of sketchbooks were a little odd - craft paper or thin dry media paper (though I gave it quite a lot of watercolor and gouache coverings:) And I longed for a good old white sturdy watercolor surface to work with. When the time came quick review of the "reserve" box showed that I have this watercolor "Pen and Ink" horizontal book stored - COOL! I splashed some color right on the first spread!
However most of the pens in my "usual rotation" were bleeding, scratching, and overall misbehaving. While running some tests I picked up bic ball point and... what can I say - 1/3 of the book is filled now and most of it is black and white, done with the same bic ballpoint... see below :)

It was a wonderful day: warm and welcoming in the sun, chilly and windy in the shade. We enjoyed laughing when our little companion accidentally stepped in the pond, made boats out of wisteria seeds (they sink immediately so we called them fish food post-factum), visited bamboo garden dead ends multiple times, and sniffed all flowering trees. Great times!

Feb 17, 2012

I rarely use pencils but got Palomino to play with and decided to try it during quick sketching of moving people. It's fast and very receptive - I like it a lot. And what I liked even more way the fact that it was not smudging too much.

Feb 15, 2012

I was waiting and drawing people around me for some time when suddenly I saw another interesting face to draw - and it was my brother (whom I was meeting there). Apparently I missed him while looking at these characters and he was standing there for 10 minutes - looking for me :)

I always start when it's too dark to see what I am drawing - blindly. I like mornings - how things get lighter and gain color and shape - it feels a little as if my hand - by drawing - is responsible for this, is making ALL that magic happen :)

Other mornings are just plain dark and heavy, restless. Bird feeder swinging, brunches struck each other. It's hard not feel responsible for drawing those days - but then - may be I should - after all - it's magic too :)

Notes to self:1) better paper please!2) do not attempt drawing eggs!After line work was done and first wash started drying I devoured most part of this (rather tasty) lunch - and so lost my subject matter. Finishing from memory was not so much fun. But eating cold eggs would be even worse!